![\"\"](\"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Covid-19-vaccine-1500x856-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Governments in the region and around the world are doubling down on covid-19 vaccination mandates, with some of them already making it mandatory for employees to either get vaccinated or subject themselves to weekly or bi-monthly testing.<\/p>\n
Guyana\u2019s government has made it law for anyone entering government buildings and local businesses to be inoculated or present a negative PCR test administered within seven days of an appointment or visit.<\/p>\n
Antiguan Prime Minister Gaston Browne also revealed this week that a new cabinet decision requires that all public sector workers in his country must be vaccinated or face covid-19 testing at least twice monthly in order for them to be \u201celigible\u201d to enter government buildings.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026If you don\u2019t come to work, you cannot justify getting paid and if you don\u2019t come to work after a period of time\u2026you lose your employment,\u201d Browne said.<\/p>\n
Browne added that while his Labour Party administration, which is Antigua\u2019s largest employer, is not seeking to threaten peoples\u2019 jobs, a problem exists, and hence there is an obligation to provide a safe working environment for workers.<\/p>\n
The Antiguan leader said he hopes the private sector will follow.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe cannot continue to play with this debilitating and deadly disease,\u201d Browne added.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am satisfied that we have exercised sufficient tolerance in this country and the time has come for us to act,\u201d he said in support of his cabinet\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n
The prime minister urged the opposition to prioritize the country\u2019s national interest above political concerns.<\/p>\n
As to whether mandatory vaccinations are looming, Browne said, \u201cWe\u2019re not afraid to do it,\u201d while admitting that his government recognizes the need to be tolerant.<\/p>\n
He added, \u201cThose who want to go and protest, fine, go and protest but respect the laws.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) in a report quoted a 16-page confidential brief submitted to governments of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) by two internationally respected and prominent Caribbean jurists, who told member states that they possess solid legal grounds if they wish to institute compulsory vaccinations despite existing arguments about rights violations.<\/p>\n
According to the CMC report, \u201c the governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts-Nevis and Montserrat, have been informed that there are corresponding jurisprudence and medical data to support the position of mandatory vaccination.\u201d<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has repeatedly assured that mandatory vaccinations are not on the cards for Dominica but many are questioning whether the recent moves by Antigua and Guyana to restrict the unvaccinated in a bid to force vaccinations, may eventually become a reality in Dominica.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, on Thursday, US President Joe Biden announced a similar measure which is expected to affect about 100 million Americans. According to the new mandate, which is part of a six-prong strategy to fight the Delta variant, all federal workers and contractors must be vaccinated or get regular testing. He also said that large companies must require employees to be vaccinated or be subject to regular testing.<\/p>\n
“My job as president is to protect all Americans. So tonight, I’m announcing that the department of labor is developing an emergency rule to require all employers with 100 or more employees that together employ over 80 million workers to ensure their workforces are fully vaccinated or show a negative test at least once a week,\u201d A CBS news report quoted Biden as saying.<\/p>\n
“The bottom line \u2014 we’re going to protect vaccinated workers from unvaccinated coworkers,” he said.<\/p>\n
His announcement was met with criticism from the Republican National Committee (RNC) which is planning to file a lawsuit against Biden\u2019s government in that regard.<\/p>\n
The committee\u2019s chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement, “Joe Biden told Americans when he was elected that he would not impose vaccine mandates.\u201d<\/p>\n
“He lied. Now, small businesses, workers, and families across the country will pay the price. Like many Americans, I am pro-vaccine and anti-mandate. Many small businesses and workers do not have the money or legal resources to fight Biden’s unconstitutional actions and authoritarian decrees, but when his decree goes into effect, the RNC will sue the administration to protect Americans and their liberties,” the statement said, according to CBS News.<\/p>\n
According to Biden, 25% of American adults have not received a dose of the vaccine and they \u201ccan do a lot of damage.\u201d<\/p>\n
“We’ve made vaccinations free, safe and convenient. The vaccine has FDA approval. Over 200 million Americans have gotten at least one shot. We’ve been patient. But our patience is wearing thin. And your refusal has cost all of us. So please, do the right thing,”\u00a0he said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile here in Dominica,\u00a0 a call by prominent businessman Karl Nassief to make vaccination mandatory and his admonishment of the country’s leaders to do the same, has evoked some strong criticism from certain sectors of the public.<\/p>\n
Nassief recently urged the leaders of the country, the opposition, the unions , the DAIC and the churches to issue statements calling for the populace to be compelled to take the vaccine.<\/p>\n
The opposition United Workers Party (UWP) and the Dominica Public Service Union (DPSU) have since reiterated their pro-vaccine\u00a0 but anti-mandate positions.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has also stated publicly, on more than occasion, that he does not intend to impose a vaccination mandate on Dominicans.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Governments in the region and around the world are doubling down on covid-19 vaccination mandates, with some of them already making it mandatory for employees to either get vaccinated or subject themselves to weekly or bi-monthly testing. Guyana\u2019s government has…","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":262385,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","footnotes":""},"categories":[265,77,235,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-273850","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-covid-19","category-homepage","category-homepage-carousel","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n